


I’ll Wait Until The End Of Time

by Starrstruck_64



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Denial of Feelings, Dom/sub Undertones, Hopeful Ending, Idiots in Love, Implied bottom Diego Hargreeves, Jealousy, Light Angst, M/M, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Post-Apocalypse, Pre-Slash, Promiscuity, Pseudo-Incest, The Author Regrets Nothing, bratty Diego Hargreeves, five is bad at feelings, no beta we die like men, slight slut shaming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-14
Updated: 2019-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-25 07:09:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,571
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21792118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Starrstruck_64/pseuds/Starrstruck_64
Summary: “What’s wrong Five, never seen a hickey before?”Diego knows he sounds petty. He’s grasping at straws trying to posture like the briefest touch didn’t have him two seconds from dropping to his knees.Five rolls his eyes clearly not impressed. “That’s less of a hickey and more like you were mauled.”
Relationships: Diego Hargreeves/Original Male Character(s), Number Five | The Boy/Diego Hargreeves
Comments: 7
Kudos: 158





	I’ll Wait Until The End Of Time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SMANGST](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SMANGST/gifts).



> Title from Numb Without You by The Maine
> 
> I should be finishing my sequel but I saw this sentence prompt and felt inspired by these two idiots I adore.
> 
> Prompt:  
> “I can’t keep kissing strangers and pretending that they’re you.”

It’s early, the sun hasn’t even crept over the horizon, but Diego can’t sleep. He’d crashed at the academy and maybe the twin bed is partly to blame for the rough night. Of course it’s easier to blame the bed, but Diego isn’t foolish enough to buy the excuse; after all the full-sized one back in the boiler room is shit too.

Crap bed or something else, Diego doesn’t want to focus on the reason he’s spent the last four hours staring at the ceiling fruitlessly willing sleep to come. He’d rather get coffee and go about his day. Preferably far away from this place.

Of course because god must hate him the kitchen isn’t empty when he enters it in search of coffee. Sat alone at the head of the table is Five, a large mug beside him, nose stuck in a book.

Diego thinks briefly about just turning around and leaving. The coffee here has improved upon Five’s return, but he’d much rather deal with drinking the sludge Al kept brewed than this awkward mess waiting to happen. 

“You’re up early.”

Except he doesn’t get a chance to enact his escape, Five ever the observant one has already spotted him.

“Or did you not sleep,” Five adds once he actually bothers to look up mid page turn.

“Busy night,” Diego mumbles pointedly refusing to look at Five as he makes a beeline for the coffee pot.

He silently regrets coming here at all last night. It’s worse being in civvies. He feels so exposed without his turtleneck and harness.

Five is quiet and Diego briefly thinks that maybe he’s catching a break and the universe is looking out for him after all. It’s a short lived pipe dream.

There’s a flash of blue and the tell-tale woosh of air being displaced and suddenly Five is standing beside him. Diego considers it a mild victory none of his coffee spilled.

Five is taller in his new body, and with Diego’s habit of slouching from this angle Five actually appears taller. It makes Diego stomach feel like someone pumped him full of helium or butterflies. It’s extremely distracting.

“Sure seems like it,” Five quips, long fingers trailing against Diego’s neck.

It takes a moment longer than Diego would like to recapture the strand of their conversation, but when he does he can’t fight the rush of pink that makes its way across his face. _‘Busy night.’ ‘Sure seems like it.’_

He really misses his fucking turtleneck.

He takes a gulp of coffee not even caring how hot it is or that he typically takes it with milk and sugar. He doesn’t trust his tongue not to trip up on him if he talks right now. He needs time to think, and right now he can only focus on the feel of cool fingers along his neck.

“Don’t...” he hates how wrecked his voice sounds; weak.

“What, just stating a fact. If you didn’t want it mentioned you should have covered the evidence,” Five counters finally removing his fingers.

Diego does not shiver but it’s a near thing. He does however shift to face Five, mindful to put some space between them.

“What’s wrong Five, never seen a hickey before?”

Diego knows he sounds petty. He’s grasping at straws trying to posture like the briefest touch didn’t have him two seconds from dropping to his knees.

Five rolls his eyes clearly not impressed. “That’s less of a hickey and more like you were mauled.”

Diego has a snarky remark on the tip of his tongue about Five being a fucking prude when he realizes two things in quick succession: Five noticed the mark practically on sight and he sounds almost jealous?

He should just drop it, but Diego has a bratty streak a country mile wide and given their last talk he wants to brag a little. So instead of focusing on his coffee Diego pastes on his best ‘I just got laid’ smile and goes for faux casualty with his next sentence, “Aidan likes marking up his partners.”

It’s subtle, you’d have to really know Five to notice the change, and Diego is well versed in Five’s idiosyncrasies, but there’s no denying the little lip twitch or narrowing of eyes. Five is without a doubt jealous. Five is also vicious when provoked and Diego loves to poke the bear.

“Partner? And here I thought you were too busy sleeping your way through every Tom, Dick, and Harry to settle down.”

It should hurt having his promiscuity thrown in his face but Diego can’t bring himself to care. He’s latched to the fact that Five has been keeping tabs on his love life; it’s thrilling in a way knowing Five, on some level, cares.

“Tom, Vincent, and Nicky actually,” Diego grins because he’s a dick when he wants.

The jaw clench is icing on the cake, but Diego has always had slightly glutinous tendencies when it comes to playing with fire, so he takes it a step further. “Didn’t know you were keeping tabs. Thought you were above all that romantic bullshit.”

“Sleeping your way through the phone book hardly constitutes as romantic.” 

The words sting worse than a slap. 

Setting his mug down with a frown Diego crosses his arms over his chest. “What do even care? You don’t want me anyway.”

“I never—“

“No. You don’t get to do this Five. I told you how I felt, and you...you threw it back inface.”

Five’s hands are clenched at his side and he’s practically vibrating with the need to interject.

“What was it you said? Oh right, that I was ‘wasting both of our time holding hope on a childish crush that long since missed its window’ did I get that right?”

“That’s not—“

“That’s not what? What you meant? Not sure what else you could mean besides fuck off not interested,” Diego hisses. “I suppose it’s my fault right? My childish crush,” his tone comes out on the acidic side of sarcastic but honestly Diego doesn’t care. 

It had hurt being rebuffed in such a finite way. He could have handled a no, had been prepared for one even, but to have his flutter of hope mocked and tossed aside? Diego is still licking his wounds, and not even a steady stream of knock off Fives is enough to soothe the sting. Hell it hasn’t worked in the past, Diego isn’t quite sure why he thought now would be different this time.

“Are you going to let me talk?”

Diego wants to tell Five to fuck off. He thinks he’s earned the right. Instead he begrudgingly nods for Five to continue.

“I may have misspoke our last conversation.”

Five isn’t looking at him and Diego isn’t sure what to make of that. Part of him wants to scream at Five, the words can’t be taken back and forgotten, but then Five has never apologized in all the time Diego has known him so he bites his tongue for now; mostly.

“You may have misspoke?”

Five glares at him but he hasn’t blinked away and he hasn’t pitched a fit that this whole talking business is stupid so Diego figures he hasn’t pushed too far.

“I was wrong to snap at you so cruelly,” he clarifies, eyes focusing on the coffee mug between them instead before he adds much softer than before, “especially when it’s a lie.”

Diego has so many questions but when he opens his mouth Five holds his hand up and takes a step forward. Diego’s never been fond of his infinite breath holding ability, but he’s thankful for it now because this close to Five he’s forgotten how to breathe altogether.

“I don’t think you’re a waste of time. I just...I don’t understand what you can possibly see in me. I’m not good for you. I’ve done terrible things,” Five murmurs. “It would be a mistake for you to waste your time on someone as damaged as me.”

“Bullshit.” The words are out before Diego can even think up reasons A through Z why they’re a bad idea, but once he’s started he can’t stop. “You don’t get to make that decision for me.”

Five looks a little startled having thought his words would be enough to placate Diego. He’s clearly wrong and he’s not sure where he’s supposed to go from here.

“What about my decision? Maybe I don’t want this,” Five counters but it sounds forced and he’s still not looking Diego in the eye.

“Then fucking say that instead of giving me some bullshit excuse of you being wrong for me.”

Diego knows he should stop while he’s ahead but foresight has never been his strongest skill. He’s always reacted before he can think something through and now is no different.

“You’re supposed to be the oldest of us then fucking act like it. If you didn’t want me you could have just said no. I’m a big boy I’d have gotten over you, but you were a dick then and a coward now—“

Five’s fingers wrap around his wrist lightning quick and Diego finds himself pressed back against the side of the refrigerator. Only Five is standing there with a lost look in his eyes like he’s not sure why he did that or what to do next, and Diego knows he should just shut up but he can’t.

“Fucking let go of me, I don’t have time for this scaredy cat bullshit when I have any number of guys like you I can call up who’d be here in an instant. Hell I have a few girls too. You’re not so special Five.”

It’s a fucking lie but Diego has always been a firm believer of fake it til you make it and right now Five hasn’t called his bluff, so he figures why not go for broke?

“Maybe you were right I shouldn’t waste my time.“

“No.”

And Five looks fucking wrecked, fingers tightening around Diego’s wrist and eyes a bit wider than normal. He looks almost scared like he’s not sure if he should push Diego further or pull him close.

Diego’s bratty streak may be a country mile wide but he can also be an asshole too when he wants. 

“No? What the fuck do you mean no? You can’t keep doing this. You said this was a waste, then you misspoke, but not really, and now no? What the hell do you want from me?” 

Five still looks like he’s in over his head scrambling for the right words. Part of Diego feels smug knowing Five — who has an opinion on everything — is suddenly speechless, but there’s a small part of him that feels terrible wondering if he pushed too far this time.

“Five you need to give me something to work with here...I can’t keep kissing strangers pretending they’re you,” he murmurs feeling way too exposed in this damn kitchen.

He’s not quite sure what he was expecting Five to do, but it’s certainly not this. In a flash the space between them disappears and Five’s mouth is against his.

It’s a clumsy kiss that screams of inexperience, but it’s perfect to Diego. He’s spent 18 years thinking about this moment and he never would have guessed their first kiss would be straight out of a romcom trope.

What Five lacks in skill he makes up for in sheer enthusiasm. The boy is an absolute menace, hands wandering as he brackets Diego between the counter and refrigerator; it’s enough to have Diego’s head swimming and his knees feeling like jelly. 

Which is why it pains Diego to be the one to break the kiss. 

“Wha—“

Diego shakes his head before he brings his free hand up to cup Five’s face, thumb gently brushing his cheek he offers a rueful smile, “I can’t do this if you’re not sure.”

Five’s brows furrow slightly in confusion and he makes to lean in only for Diego to turn his head at the last second. “I’m serious Five...I...I don’t want to be some jealousy sparked experiment...”

“I’m...that’s not...you’re not...” Five huffs a bit frustrated that words are failing him right now as he takes a step back. He’s supposed to be the intelligent one. He’s supposed to be wise. He feels closer to a child now than he ever did when he was stuck in his teenaged body.

“I’m not good at this,” Five says carefully hands motioning between them as if it’s answer enough. “I’m damaged goods, Diego, hell my longest relationship is with a mannequin I found in the apocalypse.”

Diego for his part stays quiet. He’s terrible at planning ahead but he still has some modicum of self preservation and he knows if he wants an answer, a truthful one, he can’t interrupt Five right now.

“I can’t promise you we’ll work. I’m fact I’ll probably fuck it up somehow. I still don’t know what you see in me, and you’re right I am jealous but that isn’t the only reason I kissed you.”

Five won’t look at him and Diego can’t stand the silence, it’s verging on the side of awkward and he knows there’s still more to be said. “Why did you?”

“I’m not that same kid you had a crush on,” Five says instead of answering, but Diego can tell there’s more coming so he doesn’t press. “I don’t know that I can give you what you’re looking for Diego. I never really considered relationships before. Maybe it’s not love, maybe I can’t offer that, but I don’t think I can take seeing you go after them when I’m right here.”

“You has your chance, you blew me off.”

“Because you deserve better—“

“You don’t get to make that decision for me, Five. Jesus, did it ever occur to you that I knew exactly what I was getting into when I asked?” Diego shakes his head turning to shoulder past Five, “we’ve all done shitty things, I know you’re not the same, I’m not stupid. I still wanted you.”

“Wanted,” Five’s voice sounds small and unsure, his fingers dangle mid-air in an aborted reach for Diego’s wrist.

Sighing Diego allows his shoulders to sag a bit in defeat, “want,” he clarifies because that’s the kicker in this whole crapshoot; he still wants Five.

It’s the right thing to say apparently because in the next instant Five is tugging him by the arm and into another kiss. This one is a little different. It’s still a bit messy but there’s more intent there. Then just as quick as Five’s mouth has found his, it’s pulling back once more.

“I cant promise you I’ll be good at this, I still don’t know what you see in me, but I want to see where this goes.”

As far as past propositions Diego has had, this one takes the cake for terrible delivery; it’s also pretty perfect.

“Then get dressed,” at the arches eyebrow in response Diego sighs. “You’re taking me out for breakfast.”

“I can handle breakfast,” Five nods flashing a small relieved smile that his offer wasn’t laughed at or rebuked before blinking out of the kitchen.

The small smile that forms on Five’s face has Diego’s heart beating double time and he knows he’s well and truly over his head where Five is concerned; he’s okay with that.


End file.
